Get Lung Cancer Treatment and diagnosis from our Best Medical oncologist in Kalyan nagar, Bangalore. This blog is for all smokers, past smokers who are living with the fear of lung cancer, and those who are very confident about not getting attacked by this disease even after smoking.
Cancer has already become evil to our civilization. Apart from several risk factors, smoking is the topmost risk factor of lung cancer. Around 90% of lung cancer deaths are caused due to smoking.
Risks in active smokers. Smoking cigarettes increases the risk of lung cancer by 15 to 30 times. Even if you smoke 1 to 2 cigarettes a day; you take yourself closer to the risk of lung cancer by the risk 3 to five times. Trachea and bronchus are the two parts of the lungs that get mostly affected by smoking caused cancer.
Risk in second-hand smokers. Some people think that only active smoking causes lung cancer. But research shows the majority of non-smoker lung cancer patients have a history of staying around or living with regular or chain smokers.
In actuality the traces of cancer-causing chemicals in tobacco smoke has a greater occurrence in a second-hand smoker than the active smoker. If you are living with a chain smoker then your risk of getting lung cancer increases by 20 to 30 percent.
The most alarming point is that there is no safe level in the case of such second-hand smokers.
Risk in Smokers who already quit smoking. I have heard a lot of people saying, I have smoked for a long time. So quitting now will not provide any effect on my lung cancer risk. Somehow its true. Long-term smoking causes permanent damage to different parts of our lungs making it more feasible to prevent cancer attack but quitting smoking at any stage lowers the risk of severity of this disease. It benefits you with better tolerance to cancer treatments. Even quitting smoking at age of 30 might lower your cancer risk by 90 percent while quitting at 50 lower the risk by 50 percent.
Pipe, cigar, bidis, or hookah. I found a very common myth among people that smoking cigars, bidis, or hookahs are associated with a lower risk of lung cancer. This is completely wrong. These tobacco materials contain more tar than cigarettes, leading to a greater risk of lung cancer than cigarette smokers.
Antioxidant vitamins. If you think that you will continue smoking and consume antioxidant vitamins at the same time to inhibit lung cancer risk. Yes, you can reduce the risk but cant undo it. There are lots of proofs that reveal the activities of antioxidant vitamins are lower in the case of a smoker than the nonsmokers.
E-cigarettes. This has already been banned in India. If you are from another country and using it as an option of quitting smoking then you should be aware of a few facts.
FDI found several cancer-causing substances in half of the sample they tested.
Most of the components are still unknown.
Since you are getting nicotine hits, hence its discouraging your smoking quitting effort.
Tips to lower the risk of lung cancer from smoking
For Non-smokers
Dont start smoking, even occasionally.
Avoid standing around the person who is smoking.
Follow a healthy diet, rich in antioxidant vitamins, and do a ample amount of physical exercise.
Try to generate awareness among smokers.
For Ex-smokers
Apart from following the recommendation for non-smokers, carry out an annual lung cancer screening test for at least 15 years after smoking cessation. Consult Best Cancer Doctors in Bangalore
For smokers, the only suggestion as of now is, Stop smoking immediately.
